Til Ladoo or Til Gun Ladoo or Sesame Ladoo

 

Til Ladoo or Til Gun Ladoo or Sesame Ladoo is a traditional sweet made during Makar Sankranti. This sweet is made with two main ingredients like sesame seeds and jaggery.

Makar Sankranti is a harvest festival known by different names such as Pongal, Lohri, Bihu, Maghi and many other names. It is celebrated at the end of winters.

Some of the common food items eaten on Makar Sankranti are Til Gun ladoos, Puran Poli, Khichdi, Moongphali, Gajak, Gajar ka Halwa, and many others.

Here I’m making Til Gun Ladoo, which is a fuss free sweet, its a super delicious recipe so do give it a try! The best part of this recipe is that it is totally vegan, gluten-free and super healthy. It can be made in less than 20 minutes.

This traditional sweet delicacy is made with two main ingredients like sesame seeds and jaggery. You can also use nuts like walnuts, almonds and peanuts. I’m using peanuts in these ladoos. I’m also using desiccated coconut as it helps in binding the ladoo and helps to store the ladoo for a longer time.

Do try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you?

How to make Til Gun Ladoo or Sesame Ladoo

Serves : 3-4 People

Preparation Time : 5 minutes
Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Author : The Food Root

Ingredients 

3 cups sesame seeds

1 cup organic jaggery, crushed
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (optional)

3/4 cup of nuts (optional)

like walnuts, almonds or peanuts. I’m using peanuts here.

Method

1. Roast white sesame seeds in a pan on medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t burn. Transfer it to a plate. I have kept aside half cup of roasted sesame seeds in a bowl so that we can roll the ladoo in the last.

2. In the same pan, roast peanuts for at least 3 minutes on medium flame than peel off the skin. Than, roughly chop it and transfer it to the same plate.

3. Next, add desiccated coconut in a pan and roast it for 2-3 minutes and transfer it to the same.

4. When all the three ingredients cool down, (sesame seeds, peanuts, and desiccated coconut) coarsely grind them in a food processor for a minute. Add crushed jaggery and grind it again for 30 seconds and transfer it to all of this in one plate.

5. Next, make ladoos with your hands to form a ball. Now roll the ladoo in the 1/2 cup of sesame seeds which you have kept aside to add the texture and you are good to go. Your Til Gun ladoo is ready to serve.

Notes

1. You can use any type of nuts like walnuts, almonds or peanuts. Though I used peanuts just make sure when you are using peanuts remember to peel off the skin.

2. If you are allergic to desiccated coconut or any nuts you can skip it. 

3. You can increase or decrease the jaggery as per your taste.

Masala Khichdi | Vegetable Khichdi Recipe | Makar Sankranti Khichdi

What could be more wholesome and comforting than a big bowl of masala khichdi. A full meal on it's own and super easy to make! If you are looking for something hearty and warm, make this dish immediately.

Khichdi is a common delicacy to eat during Makar Sankranti. It’s a comfort food as it is quick to prepare and light on stomach. 

Sankranti also known as Pongal, is the ‘harvest festival’, falls on the 14th of January each year. This festival marks the beginning of spring season and is celebrated with lots of pomp and fervour. Making Khichdi is just a part of the celebration.

Khichdi is traditionally made with rice and lentils, tempered with Indian spices. It’s a nutritious meal for both kids and adults, and mostly considered as a sick food. 

Masala khichdi is a delicious take on the famous traditional Indian khichdi. It's a fulfilling meal where rice and lentils are cooked with vegetables and fragrant spices. Not only it’s healthy, it’s a soul satisfying meal with versions that are so different depending on the regional influences. 

Unlike other traditional simple khichdi recipe you’ve seen, this recipe is made with lots of veggies and flavourful spices. It’s a satisfying dish, perfect for lunch or dinner. 

Vegetable masala khichdi can be cooked in one pan but I like to cook the dish in two. I pressure cooked rice and lentils for 2-3 whistles, and cooked vegetables in a separate pan. This also retained the texture of rice and lentils and saved lot of my time. 

It’s an open end recipe and it’s variations are endless. I added moong lentils you can use any lentil of your choice. You can add veggies of your choice and add brightness to your dish. I added loads of seasonal vegetables like; potatoes, onions, fresh green peas, capsicum, cauliflower and carrots, and, tempered with fragrant whole spices - cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds and pinch of asafoetida, along with some ginger, garlic, green chilis.

Top it with ghee and accompany these delicious dish with yoghurt, pickle or papad. You can also make this dish without onion and garlic on the eve on Sankranti. And, if you want to make this dish vegan, than substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil. 

Do try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you?

Masala Khichdi

Yield: 4-6 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Author: The Food Root

Ingredients 

1/2 cup rice,

1/2 cup moong lentils

2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 inch ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

2 green chillies, finely chopped 

1 onion, chopped 

1 tomato, chopped

1 tsp salt or as per required

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

3/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 garam masala

1 carrot, chopped

1 potato, chopped

1 capsicum or bell pepper, desseeded, chopped

1/2 cauliflower florets, chopped

1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

5 cups water

handful of coriander leaves

Directions 

1. Wash rice and moong lentils together. Allow them to soak for atleast 15 minutes.

2. Drain the excess water and transfer them into the pressure cooker. Add some salt, turmeric powder, bay leaf and 5 cups of water and pressure cook it for 2 whistles on medium flame. When done, keep it aside.

3. Meanwhile, chop all the veggies; potatoes, onions, tomatoes, capsicum, cauliflower, carrots and keep it aside.

4. Heat a pan over a medium flame, add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. When the seeds starts spluttering, add pinch of asafoetida.

5. Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, onion and some salt. Sauté everything together and let them turn golden in colour on medium heat for at least 3 minutes.

6. Next add chopped tomatoes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes starts to soften. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix it well. Let the mixture cook till the oil separates.

7. Add all the chopped veggies; potato, fresh peas, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower in the pan and give it nice mix. Cover with a lid and lower the heat from medium to low and cook for 4 minutes.

8. Remove the lid and cook the mixture for next 5 minutes, on a medium flame. Stir it occasionally.

9. Add add cooked rice and lentils in the pan and toss it with the vegetables mixture and continue to mix together for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame. 

10. Now, add some garam masala at the end and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

and turn off the flame.

11. Now, transfer the Masala Khichdi to a serving bowl and and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

12. Serve it with yogurt, pickle or papad and enjoy!

Notes

1. Soak rice and lentils for atleast 15 minutes .

2. You can use any type of lentils, but I prefer using moong lentils as it taste the best and it’s light on stomach.

3. To make this dish vegan, substitute clarified butter with your choice of vegan oil.

4. You can add your favorite veggies of your choice.

5. You can add more water later to adjust the consistency of the khichdi.

6. You can cook this dish in a instapot or a pressure cooker. 

7. Spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf can be avoided. You can make it according to your taste and requirements.